JP2685027B2 - Photoresist developing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor substrate after exposure in photolithography in a semiconductor manufacturing process (hereinafter,
The present invention relates to a photoresist developing apparatus for consistently performing a developing process on a wafer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional photoresist developing apparatus in photolithography in a semiconductor manufacturing process will be described with reference to FIG. In a photoresist developing apparatus, a photoresist mask is applied on the surface of a wafer, exposure patterning is performed, and then a developing solution is dropped to form a developing solution layer to perform a developing process. A rotating spin chuck 2, a developing nozzle 3 for dropping a developing solution on the wafer surface, a rinsing nozzle 4 for ejecting a rinsing solution after the developing liquid drops, and a nozzle holder 5 for holding these.
And a cup 6 that surrounds the wafer and collects the developer.

To develop the exposed wafer 1 using this photoresist developer processing apparatus, first, the wafer is adsorbed to the spin chuck 2. Next, the developing solution is dropped from the developing solution nozzle 3 while rotating the wafer. As a result, the developing solution spreads on the wafer surface while maintaining the balance between the centrifugal force due to rotation and the surface tension, and forms the thin liquid layer 7.
The exposed wafer surface is developed by the thin liquid layer 7.

Next, the rinse nozzle 4 discharges a cleaning liquid to clean the wafer surface. Next, the wafer 1 is rotated at high speed to scatter the cleaning liquid adhering to the wafer to dry the wafer. As described above, conventionally, this photoresist developing apparatus has been capable of developing, cleaning, and drying one wafer in series.

[0005]

In the conventional photoresist developing apparatus, the developer dropped on the photoresist on the wafer surface spreads on the wafer surface while maintaining the balance between the centrifugal force due to the rotation and the surface tension, and a thin solution is formed. Because of the method of forming a layer, the amount of the developing solution changes depending on the temperature, humidity, exhaust pressure state, developing solution flow rate state of the apparatus, etc., and it becomes difficult to control the developing solution thin liquid layer for each apparatus or each wafer. , Dimensional reproducibility cannot be maintained.

In the developing solution dropped on the wafer surface, the photoresist dissolves in the developing solution as the developing reaction proceeds. In a developing solution containing a resist component, the development reaction rate (dissolution rate) changes and the pattern dimension changes.

Next, the relationship between the dissolution rate and the thin liquid layer thickness will be described using the relationship between the dissolution rate and the thin liquid layer thickness shown in FIG. The thin liquid layer is a layer of the developing solution dropped on the wafer surface by the surface tension and the centrifugal force after the developing solution is discharged, and the conventional thin solution layer thickness is adjusted to about 1.5 mm.

At this time, the standard dimension was used, and the thinning of the developing solution layer was used to substitute the thinning of the pattern dimension for the dissolution rate. Regarding the dissolution rate, the thinner layer after the change of the thin liquid layer contains a larger amount of the photoresist component, and therefore the dissolution rate becomes faster.

That is, depending on the amount of the thin liquid layer of the developer formed on the wafer surface, the photoresist content (mol / li)
tter) has changed, and in single-wafer development processing, fluctuations in pattern dimensions on individual wafer surfaces pose a problem.

In mass production, it is necessary to unify the development size for each machine, increase the exposure amount among the exposure conditions of steppers, etc., change the exposure amount for each stepper, and reduce the pattern size. The difference with other units is eliminated in the state of being. As a result, the throughput of the device varies, and the throughput of the machine changes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photoresist developing apparatus which improves the dimensional reproducibility of development and improves the yield.

[0012]

To achieve the above object, a photoresist developing apparatus according to the present invention has a spin chuck, a developing nozzle, and a suction nozzle, and a photo developing device for developing a substrate surface to be exposed. A resist developing apparatus, wherein a spin chuck holds an exposed substrate and rotates the substrate, and a developing nozzle drops a developing solution onto an exposed surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck. The suction nozzle is for adjusting the amount of the developer dropped onto the exposed surface of the substrate and controlling the thickness of the thin liquid layer formed on the exposed surface.

Further, the suction nozzle is for infiltrating into the developing solution dropped on the exposed surface of the substrate and sucking the developing solution by vacuum.

Further, the suction nozzle is installed so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the exposure surface of the substrate.

The suction nozzle is arranged above the exposure surface of the substrate when adjusting the amount of the developing solution.

The suction nozzle is drive-controlled separately from the developing nozzle.

[0017]

In the photoresist developing apparatus of the present invention, centrifugal force and surface tension due to rotation are used as a means for forming a thin liquid layer of the developing solution. In addition to this, the liquid level height is controlled above the thin liquid layer. By providing the suction nozzle, it becomes possible to form a thin liquid layer having excellent reproducibility.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the spin chuck 2
Is installed in a scatter preventing cup 6 so as to hold the wafer 1 horizontally and rotate the wafer 1.

The nozzle holder 5 is provided outside the cup 6, and the beam portion 5a of the nozzle holder 5 extends on the spin chuck 2 in the cup 6.
A rinse nozzle 4, a developing nozzle 3, and a suction nozzle 8 are supported downward on a.

The nozzle holder 5 can be moved up and down, and the movement of the nozzle holder 5 causes the suction nozzle 8 to penetrate into the thin liquid layer 7 on the wafer 1 so that the suction nozzle 8 can suck the developing solution. .

The suction nozzle 8 sucks the developing solution and adjusts the amount of the developing solution to adjust the layer thickness of the thin developing liquid layer 7 on the wafer 1. 5 mm
Adjusted to a height of 1.5 mm.

Next, the operation of the photoresist developer processing apparatus will be described. First, the exposed wafer 1 is attracted to the spin chuck 2. Next, the developing solution is dropped from the developing solution nozzle 3 while rotating the wafer 1. At this time, the developing solution spreads on the surface of the wafer 1 while maintaining the balance between the centrifugal force due to the rotation and the surface tension to form the thin liquid layer 7. Next, the suction nozzle 8 held by the nozzle holder 5 is infiltrated into the thin liquid layer of the developing solution, and the developing solution is sucked up by the vacuum so that the thin liquid layer has a prescribed thickness, and then the resist on the wafer surface is developed. To do.

Next, the rinse liquid is discharged from the rinse nozzle 4 to clean the surface of the wafer 1. Next, the wafer 1 is rotated at high speed to scatter the cleaning liquid adhering to the wafer 1 to dry the wafer 1. In this way, this photoresist developing apparatus can perform a series of development, suction, cleaning and drying on one wafer.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the suction nozzle 8 is held by a suction nozzle arm 9 and is independently controlled when the suction nozzle 8 is moved, and the suction nozzle 8 is retracted during the cleaning process.

According to this embodiment, since the suction nozzle 8 is not installed in the cup 6 during the developing process and does not become an obstacle, it is possible to reduce the developing mist generated at the time of cleaning and This has the effect of preventing the re-adhesion of the developing mist onto the wafer.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the thin liquid developer layer is formed, the thickness of the thin liquid layer can be regulated by the suction nozzle, and the dimensional reproducibility of development can be improved. Moreover, the yield can be improved.

Further, the size of each developing machine can be adjusted, and the exposure amount of the stepper can be optimized.
Efficient mass production is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a relationship between a dissolution rate and a thin liquid layer thickness.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional development processing section.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Semiconductor Substrate 2 Spin Chuck 3 Development Nozzle 4 Rinse Nozzle 5 Nozzle Holder 6 Cup 7 Thin Liquid Layer 8 Suction Nozzle 9 Suction Nozzle Arm

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A photoresist developing apparatus, comprising a spin chuck, a developing nozzle, and a suction nozzle, for developing a surface of a substrate to be exposed, wherein the spin chuck holds an exposed substrate, The substrate is rotated, the developing nozzle is for dropping the developing solution onto the exposed surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck, and the suction nozzle is for dropping the developing solution onto the exposed surface of the substrate. A photoresist developing apparatus, characterized in that the amount of liquid is adjusted to control the thickness of a thin liquid layer formed on the exposed surface. 2. The photoresist developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction nozzle infiltrates into the developer dropped on the exposed surface of the substrate and sucks the developer by vacuum. 3. The photoresist developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction nozzle is installed so as to be movable up and down with respect to the exposed surface of the substrate. 4. The photoresist developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction nozzle is arranged above the exposed surface of the substrate when the amount of the developing solution is adjusted. . 5. The photoresist developing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the suction nozzle is driven and controlled separately from the developing nozzle.